NHTSA complaint: 2016 KIA SEDONA — ELECTRICAL SYSTEM
MY MOTHER AND HER FRIEND WERE DRIVING APPROX. 35 MILES PER HOUR WHEN THE RIGHT REAR WHEEL WENT OFF THE ROAD CAUSING THEM TO GO INTO THE FRYING PAN RIVER IN BASALT, CO. THERE WAS APPROX. 42.1 DEGREE SLOPE. MY MOTHER WAS THE PASSENGER. WE RETRIEVED HER PICTURES AND VIDEO. SHE WAS VIDEO TAPING WITH HER CELL PHONE AT THE TIME OF THE ACCIDENT. THE PASSENGER WINDOW WAS DOWN. SHE SAID, "OH [XXX]", AND APPEARED TO REACH TO REMOVE HER SEATBELT. THEY WENT INTO THE RIVER. THEY WERE FOUND AT 4:30 PM WITH CAR SUBMERGED IN WATER AND BOTH DROWNED. NO DAMAGE TO THE CAR. THE SIDE AIRBAGS HAD GONE OFF AND THE FRONT WINDOWS WERE UP WITH THE AIRBAGS STICKING OUT WHEN THEY WERE FOUND. THE FRONT AIRBAGS DID NOT GO OFF. MY CONCERN IS THAT MY MOM KNEW SHE WOULD GET OUT BUT WHEN SHE TOOK A DEEP BREATH THE AIRBAGS KNOCKED HER AIR OUT. AND WE KNOW THE WINDOWS WERE DOWN BUT WENT UP. IF THE ELECTRICAL SHORTED OUT FROM BEING UNDER WATER, WHY DID THE WINDOWS GO UP AND NOT STAY WHERE THEY WERE, WHICH WAS OPEN. ALSO, THE DRIVERS SEAT MOVED FORWARD AFTER GOING INTO THE WATER. AND WE QUESTION IF AIRBAGS WENT OFF TO EARLY. BOTH THE AIR BAGS DEPLOYING AND WINDOWS GOING UP IMPEDED MY MOM GETTING OUT. THE POLICE REPORT SEEMS TO QUESTION WHY THE AIRBAGS WENT OFF ALSO. THERE WAS A REPORT THAT ANOTHER KIA SEDONA WAS DRIVING DOWN THE FREEWAY AND ALL THE DOORS FLEW OPEN. I'M WORRIED THAT WE WILL START SEEING MORE AND MORE ELECTRICAL PROBLEMS WITH KIA. INFORMATION REDACTED PURSUANT TO THE FREEDOM OF INFORMATION ACT
National Highway Traffic Safety Administration — Office of Defects Investigation